::::I've Left Copenhagen for Uganda::::

Sudanese Hip Hop

Emmanuel Jal is a former starving child soldier who contemplated suicide and cannibalism. He was recruited to fight in Sudan's civil war, by the age of eight he had learnt to fire an AK47 and at 13 he was fighting on the front line.

He trekked across Sudan, surviving drought and famine, and was eventually rescued and smuggled into Kenya.

He's topped the charts in his adopted home of Kenya, performed at Live 8 in Cornwall, and got a US tour lined up this year. Emmanuel Jal then joined northern Sudanese singer, composer and oud player Abdel Gadir Salim.

Read a critical review here.

Download Emmanuel_Jal-Abdel_Gadir_Salim-Elengwen.mp3

In my next life...

...I want to live in Belgrade and do photos for Serbian bands' CD covers.  In between I really miss this mad creativity, and I miss to produce concrete results. Click here to find more.

Proudly South African

Last night Hugh Masekela (or, to be all South African about it, Bra Hugh), guested Hotel Serena in Kampala.

Opening the evening with one of his classics, 'The Boy's Doing It'. As it turned out, however, the first minutes was only a warm up. The band blasted into a high-speed performance and kept this intensity and energy throughout. And mind you, the man is 67. Respect!

I discovered Hugh Masekela years back, but this is the first time I saw him in concert. I have always found his music extremely powerfull, not just the lyrics and the energy, but also the whole political engagement and context which is part of this artist and his background. 'Bring Him Back Home (to Soweto)', the song written in 1987 to Mandela, always makes me shiver. Download it here. Download bringhimbackhome1....mp3. Or 'The Boys Doing It', which lyrically is the most simple song, but performed with a joy and intensity, including the funny references to various African places and the rest of the world (where the boys are doing it...) - it can only make you smile.

The new Hotel Serena - and the price level of the tickets (all for charity) - was an experience, too. A few ressemblances to Vega in Copenhagen, with the teak, retro style and cosyness. Only shame is, that more people should have had the opportunity to watch this legend. Not just for entertainment, but also for inspiration, He is really something special.

Read more about Hugh Masekela here.

Africa

"Africa" is a song by the 80ties rock band Toto about a young man's mystical journey through Africa.The song was included on their 1982 album Toto IV and reached number one on the Billbord Hot 100 chart in February 1983.

It is also a song which is very often played on the radio - in Africa - and hence in my head. Not at all bad.

I hear the drums echoing tonight

But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation

She's coming in twelve-thirty flight

Her moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards
salvation

I stopped an old man along the way

Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies

He turned to me as if to say: "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for
you"



It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had


The wild dogs cry out in the night

As they grow restless longing for some solitary company

I know that I must do what's right

Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti

I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that
I've become



Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you

World Music Day

Though it was officially set for last Wednesday, Uganda celebrated world music yesterday, Monday at the National Theatre gardens. The World music day was first held in France in 1982 to celebrate music diversity and bring people of different backgrounds together.

We came firstly to watch Lars, another Dane, play with his band of Congolese and Ugandans - contributing in person to the objective of the World Music day. An effort not to be underestimated!

It stroke me that MS seldom has supported initiatives like this kind in Africa. Often in Denmark, and in the Balkans. Which is a shame as culture, music and art also are part of development. Often it's even the most interesting and motivating way to meet and work. Often it also indicates alternative environments, ways of life and hope. It often adds another version to the stereotyped image of development countries. Development work is more than monitoring charts and log frames - hungry children and corrupt politicans!

This evening was an interesting scenario of people dressed in customized clothes, wearing a great variety of hats and showing a wide range of funky African street style attitudes. I really like that! This time it was me who couldn't stop watching people (usually it's the other way round), observing this scenario of proud, confident, cool youth, giving the fuck about wazungu people...

Today's Soundtrack

Mesecina

Nema vise sunce
Nema vise meseca
Nema tebe, nema mene
Niceg vise, nema joj.
Pokriva nas ratna tama
Pokriva nas tama joj.
A ja se pitam moja draga
Sta ce biti sa nama?
Mesecina, mesecina,
joj, joj, joj, joj
Sunce sija ponoc bije,
joj, joj, joj, joj
Sa nebesa, zaproklija
Niko ne zna, niko ne zna
Niko ne zna, niko ne zna
Niko ne zna sta to sija

I have never been the type who listens to classical music, especially not while driving in Africa. It just doesnt match. This song is one of my favorites, and today it just made more sense than others. It incarnates this whole mixture of happiness, sorrow, wansinn, hope and energy, which is in my head. Especially, performed by Boban Markovic and his orchestra, played on the highest volume possible. Always makes me feel better.  Always makes me miss the Balkans. (It not familiar with the Balkans and curious, - find a translation into English here.)

Arabic Groove

Not a word about the cartoons, nor dialogue or Danes with no sense of diplomacy. This is a personal recommendation to go and get yourself some real cool music from North Africa and the Middle East. Download samples here.

But if your Arab interests take you further, do also check out Next Stop Middle East  - a nessecary initiative promoting youth to meet across borders, visible or not, initiated before the cartoon story.

Scatterlings of Africa

Copper sun sinking low
Scatterlings and fugitives
Hooded eyes and weary brows
Seek refuge in the night

They are the scatterlings of Africa
Each uprooted one
On the road to Phelamanga
Beneath the copper sun
And I love the scatterlings of Africa
Each and every one
In their hearts a burning hunger
Beneath the copper sun
Broken wall, bicycle wheel
African sun forging steel, singing
Magic machine cannot match
Human being human being
African idea -- make the future clear...

© Johnny Clegg

Find the rest of the lyrics here: http://www.johnnyclegg.com/Scatterlings.htm#scats

Or read more about the absolutely amazing Johnny Clegg here: http://www.johnnyclegg.com/

Lucky Night

Björk
I've tried a lot and most things excite me.
But what tops it all is doing two things at a time.

Einar
Life and death, Glass and water
Rock and roll, wash and dirty
Christ and Jesus, time and hours

Björk
To drive a car and listen to music.
To read a book and ride a train.

Einar
Watch and maker, God and dog
Hammer and Saw, Babies and Nappies
Stop and Hold, Moon and Stars

Björk
To be a charming combination,
Tense me up.
I'm into trying a lot and most things excite me.
But what tops it all is doing two things at a time.

Einar
Knife and fork, Pad and felt
Window and Pane, Country and western
Rhythm and Blues, Yawn and Sigh

Björk
This is a lucky night for me
A night when one plus one is three
To read a letter and fall in love
To not sleep and be not unhappy
To watch tv and cuddle
Crême de la crême
Is doing two things at a time

Einar
To do two things twice at once
It's so nice, is there a point?

Björk
Two things... two!

Einar
To be or not to
Time and logic finally
You must enter my two nostrils
Can that be, or am I just thinking?
Life and death
Glass and water...

Björk
Two things at a time

http://lyrics.sykurmolarnir.com/

The Bjørk Impact

Has now reached Northern Uganda....